Method of and machine for coating roofing units



Au 23, 1932. R 5 1,873,209

METHOD OF AND MACHINE COATING ROOFING UNITS Original Filed March 13'. 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 23, 1932. c. R. MacDONALD ma'mon OF AND MACHINE COATING ROOFING uun's Original Filed March 13. 1926' 8 Sheet s-Sheet 2 ll lilll METHOD OF AND MACHINE COATING ROOFING UNITS Original Filed March 13. 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 1932- c. R. M DONALD 1,873,209

METHOD OF AND MACHINE COATING ROOFING UNITS inal Filed March 15. 1926 a Shets-Sheet f4 Aug. 23, c MacDONALD METHOD OF AND MACHINE COATING RObFING UNITS Original Filed March 13. 1925 a Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 23, 1932. Q MacDONALD mzmon OF AND MACHINE comma ROOFING UNITS Original Filed March 13'. 192B 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Aug. 23, 1932.

c. R. M DONALD IETHOD OF AND MACHINE COATING ROOFING UNITS Original Filed March 13. 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Aug. 23, 1932. c. R. M DONALD METHOD OF AND MACHINE COATING ROOFING UNITS Original Filed March 13. 192

8 Sheets Sheet 8 Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CHESTER n. MACDONALD, or Mormon, iucmean, ASSIGNOR, BY mEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro THE PATENT AND LICENSING CORPORATION, or :eosron, mssaonusmraa CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR COATING ROOFING UNITS Application filed March 18, 1926, Serial No. 94,877. Renewed Apr-11 16, 1980.

This invention has relation generally to the production of roofing materials, and particularly to those which comprise a fibrous foundation made resistant to water, wear and weather by the application thereto of suit able waterproofing and wear-resisting substances. Ordinarily a bibulous felt produced on paper-making machinery from a furnish comprising rags, cellulosic material, hair, wool or asbestos or the like, is employed as the foundation and the sheet is saturatedwith asphalt while the latter is in a liquid condi-- tion,usually when molten. The saturated sheet is ordinarily coated on one orboth faces with asphalt, usually a relatively high melting point blown asphalt, and is surfaced on one or both faces with a mineral material, such as crushed slate, sand, fine pebbles or the like. The sheet of saturated, coated and surfaced felt, is then cut into individual roofing units, such as individual shingles or strip shingles, so called, of various sizes and designs. Because of the fact that the finished sheet is ordinarily flat and relatively thin, a roof covered with such roofing units presents a thin and relatively unsubstantial appearance. An additional disadvantage flows from the cutting of the finished sheet since the fibers and the asphalt are exposed at the cut edges tothe action of the elements, thereby causing a more rapid disintegration of the unit. f

v This invention has for its object to provide a method of and machine for sealing and thickening the butt portions of roofing units, such as individual shingles or shingle strips, which have been formed of either unsaturated felt or of felt which has been saturated, coated and surfaced, as hereinbefore described, or its equivalent. A further object of the invention is to provide means for handling individual pre-cut strips and carrying them through a process of butt thickening automatically.

According to my invention, a suitable coating material (e. g. asphalt) may be applied to the butt portions of the roofing units and allowed to drain somewhat while the units are maintained in a substantially vertical po sition. Under the influence of gravity and vide means for applying different kinds or colors of grit or comminuted surfacing material to the twosides of the strips.

Other objects and advantages will be manifest to one skilled in the art from the disclosure in the drawings in which:

Figures 1, 1a, and 16 together represent a side elevation ofa machine for carrying out one method of thickening the butts of roofing units and further treating, the side frame being broken away to show more clearly the operating parts,

Figure 2 is a' transverse section of the machine showing strip clamps in end view.

Figure 3 is a transverse section of the machine on the line 33 of Figure 1a.

Figure 4 is a detail of a strip clamp with a fragment of the conveyor by which it is carried.

Figure 5 is a detail of the mechanism for seizing strips from the feeding conveyor.

Figure 6 1s a. detail of the mechanism for tilting the clamps with their strips after the dipping step.

Figure? is a detail of the mechanism for releasing the strip.

Figures 8 and 8a represent diagrammatically a system of driving mechanism for operating the machine.

Figure 9 is a vertical section of a completed strip taken through one of the cut-outs.

Figure 10 is a section of the butt portion of the same on a larger scale.

Figure 11 shows an attachment for applying coating in narrow stripes to the head portion of the strips.

Figure 12 is a section on the line 1212 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 shows a shingle strip coated by the mechanism shown in i re 11.

Figure 14 is a section on t e line 14-14 of Figure 13.

igure 15 1s a sectiomonthe line 1515 of Figure 13.

to the operation of the machine to be described, are first formedin any s 'table sizes and shapes by any suitable machine y. While for most purposes, I propose to treat those elements which have been cut from a sheet of saturated, coated and mineral-surfaced fibrous material, nevertheless, the elements ma be cut from an unsaturated sheet, or one which has been saturated, and, if desired, coated.

As will be explained, the elements be treated are successively and automatically subjected to a coating operation, and then to a surfacing operation, and finally discharged in a finished condition.

Referring to the embodiment of my 1nvention illustrated in Figures 1-7, 10 in-.

dicates a pair of endless conveyors, preferably in the form of chains, to which may be attached suitable clamping devices 11 at regular intervals adapted to seize each individual roofing unit and carry it through the successive steps of the process. As shown in Figures 1, 1a and 1b, the successiveclamps 11 pick up individual roofing units 12 which as stated may be shingle strips or shingles of any kind or size of raw or saturated roofing felt, roofing seconds, or other equivalent material, or of coated and slated material. In several figures of the drawings where shingle strips are shown, the form illustrated is one having the outline shown in Figure 13,

with slots or cut-outs extending upwardly fromits butt edge. These units may be supplied by a succession of holders 13 traveling on a conveyor 14 so arranged as to bring the successive roofing 12 into positions where they can be picked up by the successive clamps 11, as will be described hereinafter in more detail. Instead of a mechanism for supplying the units 12, the feeding may be done by hand or by any other desired method. The clamps 11 carry the units from the holders 13 over a suitable receptacle 15 which contains a coating liquid, such as blown asphalt or any other desired equivalent which may be heated electrically, by steam pipes 16,

or y

other means, to a suitable temperature igure 16 with an atthe container 15. The conve ors 10 are preferabl led over sprocket w eels 17, 18, 19,

whic are so distprpsed as to lower the clamps 11 with the mo g units they carry as they pass over the receptacle 15. The s rocket wheels are so arranged that each s mile str1p will be dipped to a desired dept 1n the coatinglfluid, and will thereupon be removed from t e coatin fluid both the dipping and the removal ta 'ng piace while the shingle strip is maintained in a substantially vertlcal position. The entire surface of t e submerged portion of the strip will be completely covered with the coating comound, including all the edges of the cut outs. uring its removal and subsequently while the strip is in a vertical position, it is obvious that the coating will tend to flow and drain' toward .the bottom ed e of the. strip,thus assuming a tapered orm with maximum thickness at the butt edge of the strip. A wiping device, which is preferabl in the form of a steam pipe 20, may be positioned so as to engage each strip at its butt edge, and thus to remove the drippings of coatin material therefrom. In order to be adjusta le for strips of differing height, the pi e 20 may be pivotally mounted as by an'e ow 21 so as to be raised or lowered at will. From the dippin vat, the shingle strip'is carried to a suita le conveyor 22 which may comprise an endless belt arran d to recelve commi-;

nuted surfacing materlal on its surface from a suitable hopper 23 and to be led by guide rolls so as to engage the butt edge of the or brevity, this n1ate-.

rial will behereinafter referred to generically as rit, it being understood that an de sire comminuted material may be inc uded in the term. Before contacting with the its covered belt 22, each strip is preferably tilted backwardly by means to be described in detail hereinafter, so as to project the butt edge forwardly just before it comes in contact with the grit-covered belt. The relative speeds of the conveyor 10 and the belt 22 are so regulated that the upper ortion of the shingle will be carried along aster than the lower portion. In this way, the head portion of the backwardly tilted shingle will overtake the forwardly extending butt portion so that the backward tilt will change to a forward tilt while the edge remains in con tact'with the grit on the belt. This is shown clearly in Figure 10. As a result, the butt edge of each strip is simultaneously rounded off and surfaced with the grit or other surfacing material on the belt 22. This effect is illustrated in the conventional cross sectionbf a portion of the finished strip shown in Figure 10.

When the strip, as it travels alon has been tilted forwardly to a sufficient egree, tripping means engage and open the clamp, holding it so that the strip'is allowed to'fa'll forwardly on the grit-covered belt 22. This brings the entire forward face of the strip-in contact with the grit on the belt, with the result that suflicientgrit sticks to the coated portion of the forward face to surface the coating. The belt is thereupon carried along and transferred to another conveyor or belt 24, the excess slate on the belt 22 dropping into a suitable receptacle 25 as the strip passes from one belt to'the other. The conveyor' 24 carries the strip beneath a suitable hopper 26 which deposits grit upon the upper surface of the strip, whereupon the strip may be led between press rolls 27 of which four are shown, although any desired number may be supplied. These press rolls may be cooled by the circulation of water therethrough, or by any other means, and a guide belt 28 may be led around the upper rolls. If desired, the unit may then be led through a further cooling device, such as that indicated at 29, after which it may be deposited in a suitable receptacle or conveyor 30 which is preferably so con- I structed as to allow excess slate from the top surface of the strip and from the belt 24 to fall through into a container or hopper 31.

Having outlined briefly the course of the shingle strip through the machine, I will now describe in more detail the various instrumentalities which are utilized in the successive steps. A clamp 11 for gripping and holding a unit is illustrated in Figure 4 on an enlarged scale. Each clamp may comprise a pair of jaws 32, 33 at each end of the sheet. The corresponding jaws at the opposite ends of the strip may be separate or may be connected as by the plates 34 (Figure 2) so as to engage the strip along the entire extent of its head portion. The connecting plates 34 may be additionally supported and reinforced as by arms 32a, 3311, the arm 32a being fixed to turn with the shaft 35 while the arm 33a is rockable on said shaft. The clamps 11 may be mounted upon a. rod 35 supported at either end by the conveyors 10. The clamps 11 may be of any suitable construction. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the jaws 32 are fixed to the bar '35 to turn therewith. The jaws 33 are rockably mounted on the rod 35 and have extensions 36 projecting upwardly therefrom, the upper portion of these projections being adapted as by rollers 37 to engage suitable cams hereinafter to be described. The jaws 32 are likewise provided with bosses 38 which are adapted toengage other cam surfaces as by rollers 39. At a convenient point on the rod 35 an arm 40 may be fixed adapted, as by a roller 41, to engage suitable cams in order to rock the rod 35 and the clamps '11 associated therewith. .The rod '35 carryingthe clamps 11 may be secured to the conveyors 10 as by brackets 42, each of which may be secured to a'link of the chain conveyors 10. The pins 43 connecting the successive links of each conveyor 10 are preferably each pro-' vided with a roller 44 which is adapted to facilitate travel of the conveyor on guide brackets 45 and on guide tracks 58. A suitable sprmg 46 may be provided as shown in.

Figure 4 to keep the aws 32, 33 normally-- pressed together, so that when the jaws are not positively separated, they will have a spring-pressed engagement with each other or with any object placed between them. Similar springs 46 may also beprovided-between the arms 32a, 33a.

In Figure 5'is shown the apparatus for causing the clamps 11 to pick up successive strips from the holders 13 carried by the feeding conveyors 14. A cam surface 47 may be provided to engage the rollers 37 on the clamps 11 so as to tilt the clamps forwardly in their travel to escape fouling a cam 48 as they are carried with the conveyors 10 around a suitable sprocket wheel 49. As indicated by the successive dotted positions in Figure 5, the clamps 11 in passing around the sprocket wheel 49 bring the rollers 37 into engagement with the cam 48 while the rollers 39 engage the cam 50. The cams are so disposed as to cause the simultaneous engagement of the rollers 37, 39 therewith to open the jaws 32, 33 of the clamps 11 as the clamp is traveling downwardly so as to engage a strip 12, which is at the same time being advanced by the travel of a holder 13 carried by the conveyors 14. When a clamp 11 reaches the lowermost point of the sprocket 49 and is directly over one of the holders 13, the rollers 37 39'ride-clear from the earns 48, 50 and allow the spring 46 to close the jaws 32, 33 upon the strip 12. A pair of cams 51, 52 are preferably disposed so as to engage suitable rollers 53 carried by the holders 13 in such a way as to cause the holders 13 to retain a vertical position until they have descended about the sprocket 54 far enough to clear the bottom of the strip 12, which is now clamped and carried by clamps 11. The holders 13 are preferably attached pivotally to links in the conveyors 14 as at 55, and may be held in vertical position while carrying a strip 12 by a horizontal extension of the cam 51. Upon clearingthe bottom edge of a strip 12, each holder 13 is allowed to swing downwardly and is conveyed back to the original feeding point whereanother strip 12 may be supplied to it by hand or by any suitable. feeding mechamsm.

As has' been previously described, the strips12, after being gripped by clamps 11, are carried over a vat or other suitable container having a coating compound therein, 5 which is preferably in liquid form. The conv'e ors are then depressed as by a sproclfet wheel 18 so-as to cause the str1p 12 to be dipped into the coating compound to a predetermined .depth and removed therefrom while in a substantially vertical position, the drippings from the butt edge 0 the strip being removed as by a wiperv20. The clamp 11 is thereupon conveyed toward the grit-covered belt 22. A cam mechanism 15' which is shown in detail in Figure 6 may be provided to tilt the clamp 11 backwardly so as to project the butt edge of the strip 12 forwardly immediately prior to its contact witlithe grit-covered belt 22. This may be 7 done by means of a suitably shaped cam 56 on which the roller 41 is adapted to ride. As will be. see. from the successive positions indicated in kiigure 6, the cam 56 will tilt the clamp 11 bac wardly as it goes along, thus swinging the butt of the strip 12 forward in the direction of motion. Although the strip 12 may in some cases sag on account of the flexibility er the material of which a manufactured roofing is customarily made, the ao'tilt will be sufiicient to cause the butt edge of the strip to contact the grit on the belt with the rearward portion of its but edge,

as indicated by the reference character 57 in Figure 10. After the butt edge of the ss s trip has contacted with the grit-covered belt 22, the roller 41 rides free from the cam 56 andat the same time the conveyors 10 carrying the clamp 11 are caused to proceed upwardly on an arc indicated in Figures 1 and 1a, the direction of motion being governed as by a guide track 58 which may be of such a shape that the clamp 11 may straighten the strip 12 to a vertical position,

- with its butt end all the time in Contact with I the grit on the belt 22, and then may swing the strip forwardly until it is released by a suitable cam mechanism and allowed to drop on its forward face on the belt 22. The mechanism for-causing the clamp 11 to re- 5 lease its strip is shown on anenlarged scale in Figure 7. An upper cam surface 59 may be provided to engage the rollers 39 of the.

forwardly tilted clamp 11 in such a way as to maintain the forward tilt of the jaw 32 on which the roller 39 is mounted. While the jaw 32 is maintained with a forward tilt, the rollers 37 are adapted to engage a cam 60 which is positioned to swing back the upper arm 36 of the jaw 33, and thus 60 to separate the jaws 32 and 33, permitting the strip 12 to fall therefrom flat on the belt 22. The result of'the motion of the clamp 11 on the track 58,.which changes the tilt of the strip from a backward tilt to a forward tilt, is a rounding off of the butt edge of the strip with a simultaneous applicationof a surfacin of grit or other comminuted material whic may, be deposited on the belt for the purpose. When the strip is allowed to fall forwardly on its face, the coated portion of its forward face comes down upon the comminuted material on the belt 22 with a result that the surfacing of the butt edge is continued over the entire coated portion of the forward face. In order to recover and recycle the surplus comminuted material carried by the belt 22, the belt may be led around a guide roll 62 while the strip 12 carried thereon passes along horizontally to another conveyor or. belt 24, the excess gritvfalling through the gap between the.

adjacent ends of the horizontal portions of the belts 22, 24. The belt 22 may be further led over suitable guide rolls such as 63, 64,- 65, one 0fwhi'ch,'such as 63, may be movable in order to adjust the tension of the belt. Instead of using two conveyors 22, 24, it is obvious that the belt 22 may be extended so as to include the functions of thebelt 24. As a result of using a single belt, the rolls 27 press the strip While its lower face isin contact with excess grit on the belt. This may be desirable when the nature or condition of the coating material is such that insufficient grit will stick to the strip unless greater pressure is applied to it than results from the weight of the strip itself. On the other hand, if desired, two successive endless beltsmay be used instead of the belt 24, the two belts having a gap between through which may fall the grit which is deposited on the beltirgm. the hopper 26. If desired, a revolving brush 66 or other suitable'means may be supplied in contact with the belt 22 to remove any coating material that might stick thereto, but ordinarily a cleaner will .not be required. The belt 22 is preferably driven as by the roll 62 or any of the other rolls over which it passes, the speed of the belt being somewhat less than that at which the conveyors 10 are driven. This difference of speed enables the turnin over of the strip 12, as previously describe during the travel of the clamp 11 along the track 58. f v

As the strip 12 leaves the belt 22, it is picked up by the belt 24, a roller or other device being positioned between the ends of the belts, if the size and material of the strips require, to prevent the units from falling through between the belts. The strip is thus carried along under a hopper 26 or other device for depositing any desired surfacing material upon'the upper face of the strip. This stead of slate, grit or granular material of chalk, or electrically conductlve material, or

'serve to embed the grit adherin surfacesof the strip, and also, if esired, to

the carrying the strip 12, the entire coated surface of which is now covered with one kind or another of comminuted material, may now be led between a series of rolls 27 which to both cool the strip; For this purpose, the rolls 27 may be constructed hollow as shown in F ig ure 3, suitable flexible connections, 67, 68 being provided for circulating water, air or other cooling fluid through the rolls. In order to allow the upper rolls 27 to ride over the successive units without flattening ;out the tapered coating-by excessive pressure, the bearin blocks 270, in which the rolls are journa ed, may be mounted in Vertical slides 271 so that the upper rolls 27 can rise as they, ride over the increasing thickness ofthe unit passing beneath, pressing thereon simply with their own weight plus that of the liquid within. Excessive pressure can therefore be avoided by making these rolls of suitable size and materials to give the weight desired.

It is evident that many other equivalent j methods may be used to exert a yielding pressure on the tapered units sufiicient to partially embed in the coating material a layer of comminuted material in contact therewith. The strips may, if desired, be cooled further by passing through'any desired cooling device, such as the one indicated at 29. This may be an air cooler as shown, or more rolls may be used instead. When the strips 12 are sufficiently cooled, they may be deposited in a receptacle or car rier 30. By leading the belt 24 about suitably positioned guide rolls 69, 70, the strips may be deposited vertically in the carrier 30, the latter being preferably constructed so as to allow surplus material which has been carried along by the belt 24 from the hopper 26 to fall through and be recovered as by a receptacle 31.

The finished strip 12 will then have a complete envelope of coating material over its entire butt portion including both surfaces and all the edges. This coating will have been somewhat tapered by the'action of gravity during the dripping of the excess coating material from the strip. A surfacing of one kind of material will cover the rounded butt edge and cut-out edges on one face of the coated portion of the strip. A surfacing of the same or. different materials will cover the opposite coated face of the strip. As a result, the product is a substantial roof: ing unit with a fully protected exposed portion and a thickened butt edge tapering toward the head portion, which presents an attractive and substantial appearance to the roof when laid.

In Figure 10 is shown in cross section an uivalents of any of these. The belt 24.

example of the butt ortion of a finished unit.

- In this case, the fe ted material a has been saturated and has received a preliminary coating 6 of waterproofing material witha surfacing of rit a, after-which the sheet has. been cooled and cut into units. These units are fed into the machine as hereinbefore described and acquire a continuous coating d, d of high melting point asphalt or equivalent material on the butt portion of both faces and the butt edge, as ,well as on all the edges of cut-outs or notches in the butt portion. The-coatings d, d is surfaced with the layers 0, f of comminuted material, the layer 6 being on the face of the unit which is foremost as it progresses through the machineand being a continuation of the surfacing on the rounded butt edge. The layer f may be of the same or different material as that of e, and meets the layer 6 at or near the rearward portion 57 of the butt edge. The section in Figure 10 is illustrative only as it is obvious that the coating and surfacing as described may be applied to units of varlous other materlals.

In Figures 8 and So, an outline of the driving connections is diagrammatically indicated. Power may be supplied by any suitable means to rotate a main drive shaft 74 to which the several driven elements may be op eratively connected. As shown, the sprock- .et wheel 54, which advances the conveyors 14, is connected as by suitable gearing and a shaft 73 to the shaft 74. The sprocket wheels 18, 49 and 75, about which the conveyors 10 pass, are so geared to the shaft 74 as to be driven with equal peripheral speeds. These sprocket wheels thus cooperate with one another in advancin the conveyors 10. In order to drive the belt 22, the rolls 62 may be operatively connected to the shaft 74 as by a shaft 76 connected with suitable gearing. Instead of the direct connection shown, an of the variable speed transmission units, sue for example as the Reeves drive, may be interposed between the roll 62 and the shaft 74, whereby the relation between the speeds of the conveyors 10 and the belt 22 may be readily adjusted to accommodate roofing units of different sizes. The belt 28 may be driven by the press rolls 27 which may be operatively connected to the shaft 74 by suitable gearing. As shown in Figures 3 and 8a, the upper rol may be driven from the lower rolls as by gears 272, 273, the gears 273 also meshing with a gear 274 which is operatively connected as'by a shaft 275 and suitable bevel gears to the power shaft 74. The belt 24 may be driven by the motion of the rolls 27 between which it passes. Further provision for driving the belt 24 may also be made by operatively connecting any of the other rolls which it. engages with the power shaft 7 4. As previously mentioned, the gearing connecting the rolls 62 with the drive shaft, 74 is so arranged I as to we the belt 22 a somewhat lower s than t e conveyors in order that the lead of the strip 12, which is tilted backwardly when the butt edge contacts with the belt 22, may over take the butt edge during the travel of the clamp 11 alon the track 58 so that the strip will be forwar y tilted when the clamp 11 lets go. v ,y

In Figure 11 is illustrated an attachment by which the machine may be used to produce the type of shingle strip illustrated in Figure 13. These strips are made with cutouts 77 to form shingle-simulating tabs 78. In

order to give a maximum protection with a minimum amount of coating material, it is desirable to apply narrow stripes 79 of ritsurfaced coating to the head portion 0 the strip, these stripes 79 being preferably posltioned half wa between the slots 77 so as to lie under the s ots of the strip in the course immediately above as laid on the roof and ive full protection just where it is needed. These stripes of coating 79 may be applled by a series of coating rolls 80 which may be supported asby a suitable shaft 81 over the container 15 from which coating material is supplied to them as by feed rolls 82. The shaft 81 is preferably connected to the power shaft 74 by suitable gearing so as to drive the coating rolls 80 with a eripheral' speed equal to the linear speed of the conveyors 10. The feed rolls 82 may also be driven by any dek sired means, such as sprocket wheels 83 and a chain 84. In order to prevent coating material from cooling on the sides of therolls 80 and thus increasing the virtual widths of these rolls in a manner to deposit stripes 79 of excessive or irregular width, suitable scrapers 85, 86 may be provided of the sides of the rolls 80 and 82, respectively, to confine the coating matenial to the peripheral surfaces of .these rolls. The rolls 80 are positioned at such an elevation that their peripheries will contact the strip 12 at suitable points near the top thereof. The progress of the strip will draw it over the rolls 80.from which it will receive on its forward face stripes 79 of coating material which will be of the same width as that of the rolls 80.

Y tions of the strips may thereupon be dipped As will be seen from Figure 11, the butt porinto the materials in the vat so that the stripes 79 merge into the envelope coating of the butt portion. as indicated in the strip illustrated in Figure 13. If desired, the striping rolls may be placed at the other end into the material a suitable coating roll 87 may be used to: receive coating material from a feed roll 88 and deposit it on the butt portions of the forward face of stri s which are brought into contact with it an led over it.

If desired, striping rolls 80 may precede or follow the roll 87 so as, to produce stripes 79 and modifications might be made therein Without departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. The method of applying coating material to a roofing unit, which comprises suspending the unit and drawing a portion of I a face thereof over and in contact with adhesive coating material.

2. The method of treating a shingle strip which comprises applying a series of vertical stripes to a face thereof, then applying coating material to the butt portion of said strip while maintaining the strip in substantially vertical position. u

3. The method of treating roofing units which comprises advancing a series of units continuously into and out of a bath of molten asphalt whereby predetermined portions of said units are. enveloped in an impervious coating, contacting the butt portion of said units with grit while advancing, rocking the strip on its butt edge as an axis to a substantially horizontal position on a layer of grit, and depositing grit on the coated surfaces of the units, the progress of the. units bein uninterrupted during their treatment wit grit.

4. The method of treating roofing units,

.which comprises advancing a series of units continuously into and out ofa bath of molten asphalt whereby predetermined portions of said units are enveloped in an impervious coating, contacting the butt portion of said units while in motion with grit, and depositing grit on the coated surface of the units.

5. The method of treating roofing elements, which comprises feeding a. series of elements in succession, seizing successive elements as fed, passing the butt portion of the seized elements through a pool of liquid waterproofing material whereby said butt portion is enveloped in an impervious coatm removing the elements from the pool, advancing the elements in contact with a moving body of loose grit, rocking the element Figure 16. Instead of dipping the stripstoo on its butt edge as an axis while in contact with the grit and removing the element from the grit.

6. The method of treating roofing elements, which comprises advancing a series of elements over a pool of liquid waterproofing material, immersing the butt portion of each advancing element in the pool, removing successively from the pool, the elements thus coated, tilting the coated elements so that their butt portions project forwardly in the direction of advance, bringing an advancing body of loose grit into contact with the forwardly projecting butt edges, rocking the elements forwardly while the butt edges are in contact with the grit, dropping the elements flat on the grit, showering other grit on the upper face of the prone elements, and pressing the grit adhering to the coating on the faces of the elements into firm engagement therewith.

7. The method of treating roofing elements, which comprises coating the butt portion of each element with liquid waterproofing material, advancing the coated elements in succession, advancing a body of loose grit thereunder, and covering the coated areas with grit while the elements and grit are advancing together.

8. The method of treating roofing elements, which comprises coating the butt portion of each element with liquid waterproofing material, advancing the coated elements in succession with the butt edge projecting forwardly in the direction of motion, bringing into contact with the butt edge a body of loose grit advancing at substantially the same rate as the butt edge, swinging the head of each-element over and ahead of the butt edge while the latter is advancing in contact with the grit, dropping the element fiat on the grit, and showering more grit on the prone element.

9. The method of treating roofing elements, which comprises applying vertical stripes of molten waterproofing material to a face thereof, applying molten waterproofing material to cover the entire butt portion of each element while the material in said stripes is still molten, and covering all the coated areas with comminuted material before the coating congeals.

10. The method of treating roofing elements, which comprises applying vertical stripes of molten asphalt to a face thereof, partially immersing each element in a pool of molten asphalt to encase the butt portion thereof in an impervious envelope, removing the element from the pool, and covering the coated areas with comminuted material before any of the asphalt coating congeals.

11. The method of treating roofing elements, which comprises applying vertical stripes of molten asphalt to a face thereof, applying molten asphalt to cover the entire butt portion of each element while the material in said stripes is still molten, advancing the elements after the asphalt applications, and bringing a moving body of loose grit into contact with the coated areas of the advancing elements.

12. The method of treating a roofing unit which comprises moving the unit face-wise over a pool of: molten asphalt, lowering the unit while so moving so that a portion of the unit drags across the pool, and lifting the unit clear of the pool.

13. The method of treating roofing units which comprises moving said units in succession face-wise over a pool of molten asphalt, lowering each of said units while so moving so that a portion thereof drags across the pool so as to coat a portion of its-forward face and the edges adjacent thereto and to clear the surface of the pool for the next successive unit, and successively lifting said units clear of the pool.

14. The method of applying coating material to a roofing unit which comprises suspending the unit and drawing a portion of a face thereof over and in contact with adhesive coating material and advancing the unit thus coated to a position to permit the coating material to drain.

15. The method of treating a roofing unit which comprises moving the unit face-wise over a pool of molten asphalt, lowering the unit while so moving so that a portion of the unit drags across the pool, lifting the unit clear of the pool and advancing it to a position to permit the coating material thereon to drain.

16. The method of applying coating material to a roofing unit which comprises suspending the unit in position to be drawn through the coating-bath and moving the unit while thus suspended through a coating bath to effect application of coating material to the lower portion of the unit, withdrawing the unit from the bath and positioning it in a manner to permit the ooating material thereon to drain downwardly and form a tapered coating, removing excess coating material from the butt portion of the shingle, positioning the unit in a substantially horizontal plane and while thus positioned showering mineral grit onto the uppermost face thereof and causing said .grit to become partially embedded and aflixed to the coating on said face.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

CHESTER R. MACDONALD. 

